Dear Friends,

Last month marked five years since I became CEO of Feeding Matters. It is a role I never expected to hold, but one that has profoundly shaped me.

Twelve years ago, before I had my own children, including one with pediatric feeding disorder (PFD), I started working at Feeding Matters answering phone calls from parents desperate for answers: families dismissed by doctors, misunderstood by systems, and isolated in their fear. It shook me. It moved me.

As I grew with the organization, I began shaping programs, facilitating systems change, and forging national and global partnerships. When I became CEO in May 2020, I knew my first job was to protect our values during the pandemic while steering us forward. Five years later, I’m reflecting again in another season of uncertainty and transformation. And while uncertainty can be uncomfortable, it’s also where we grow.

Through it all, I remain grounded in why I said yes to this position in the first place: to build a world where children with PFD and ARFID are seen, supported, and able to thrive. A world where families know they are not alone.

To our Feeding Matters community, thank you for believing in this mission, for showing up through the messy middle, and for reminding me every day why this work matters.

Here’s to continuing to grow together through all that lies ahead.

With gratitude,
Jaclyn Pederson, MHI
CEO